3E Cultural Routes

Church of St. Ndoj (Cape Rodon)

The church of the century XIII is located on Cape Rodoni, 800 m, southeast of the Skanderbeg castle
and has a rectangular plan with measures 14 x 16 m. At the core, the structure of the church is typical Romanesque-Gothic, with a nave preceded by a narthex and an apse to the southeast. The front of the church is flat with a pediment, in the middle of which was the small rosette, typical for Romanesque churches, and a niche with the medallion of the Franciscans.

The side walls are reinforced with cross-shaped pilasters, while the nave was covered with a sharp vault. The longitudinal walls are treated with arcades with slender arches on powerful pilasters. The nave is separated from the altar area, splitting the interior space in two. The gothic architecture includes pointed arches on pilasters and pointed vaulted roofs, while Byzantine architecture has wall construction techniques and twin windows. In the second period, in the century XIV-XV, two side naves equipped with circular apses were added to the central nave. 

The interior of the church was covered with frescoes from two different periods. The paintings with a rider on a horse and a doubleheaded eagle, to which Mamica, Skenderbeu’s sister and his eagle to which is alluded are fantasies of the century XX.
The Church of St. Anthony is one of the four churches mentioned by historical sources (Saint Mary, Saint
Anastasia and Saint Kolli, and Saint Peter), where the documents from Ragusa mention in 1324 the church
“Sancte Nastasie deli Aradon” and in 1374 a monk from Rodon (brother Alexius de Rodonis), of the Saint Anthony Order. According to medieval documents, the church was originally dedicated to St. Anastasia, while the religious
service was performed by the monks of St. Anthony Order. Further, the service was transferred to the Franciscan Order. Initially, its name was the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo (St. Mary Ascended to Heaven) and then St. Anthony
(Shna Ndout).

*This monument is part of the sites restored by the EU4Culture program, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNOPS in close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.

Photo credits: EU4Culture Program